


Alkahest

by misbehavingvigilante



Series: Myriad [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst with a Happy Ending, Gen, M/M, Pre-Slash, Sibling Love, Uchiha Izuna Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-03
Updated: 2019-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 16:20:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21664222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/misbehavingvigilante/pseuds/misbehavingvigilante
Summary: In which, Madara doesn't refuse Hashirama's offer after all and Izuna lives because of it.
Relationships: Senju Hashirama/Uchiha Madara, Senju Tobirama/Uchiha Izuna, Uchiha Izuna & Uchiha Madara
Series: Myriad [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/945921
Comments: 16
Kudos: 204
Collections: fffffffff





	Alkahest

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Helasdottir](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Helasdottir/gifts).

> Happy birthday, Hana~! 
> 
> I foraged back to the Naruto universe with this insight of what it might have been like if Madara didn't say no, and Izuna lives because of it since we both love alive Izuna very very much. I hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Also uh, I'm not sure about tags, but if anyone feels like I forgot anyone just let me know?

Izuna has known death all his life.

All shinobi have really. They grow up surrounded by it, being a cause for it, and ultimately never dying from natural cases.

It’s how he knows the wound that Tobirama inflicts on him is a death wound.

He is going to die at the hands of a Senju which is fine, it was likely always going to end this way, he just wished he could have returned the favor. That he could stay longer at his brother’s side but that is not going to happen now.

Izuna has spent a lot time thinking about death. Less so about the afterlife and more so about how to inflict it but still. There’s a thought that he’ll be joining his brothers at least, they had all been, too young and just yet another casualty of war.

He doesn’t mind joining their ranks but he hates to leave Madara alone.

Then Hashirama, always, always Hashirama is running his mouth again speaking about things about alliances and peace as if such a thing has a place in their world.

The worst part is Madara is falling for it. Izuna can’t keep the Sharingan on right now, but Madara’s eyes are taking in the offer as something genuine, as something truthful, he even takes a step forward.

“Brother, don’t.” Speaking is painful, Izuna is certain he should not be speaking at all, that it is only hastening the inevitable but he can’t let this stand.

“Don’t listen to his lies…”

That’s all they are, just pretty worthless words that in the end won’t amount to anything. It’s just a trick, a trick playing in the childhood memories that they both shared years upon years ago that Izuna knows Madara hasn’t thrown away as much as he’s claimed.

Their father had never fully been convinced either, Izuna is pretty sure.

Uchihas after all were known to form strong bonds, it isn’t as easy to let go of a bond once it’s formed even if it’s only hatred. It’s still a connection.

Izuna hates the fact that Hashirama and Madara are still connected. He wants that to burn away, if anything perhaps his death will be enough to take that with him. If only Madara allowed him to fight Hashirama, he was always weirdly possessive under the guise of wanting to fight Hashirama himself that he never let anyone else touch the man.

If Hashirama had been the cause of his death, Madara wouldn’t have in any doubts but because it’s Tobirama’s hands he’s falling under, he does.

God, he really hates Tobirama even more in this moment. Even more for being responsible for his death.

Madara is still hesitating however, Izuna doesn’t understand why. How could that not been obvious about how he felt and what he wanted to happen?

Never let it be said that Madara couldn’t be dense.

His sight feels blurry, for once not because of Sharingan overuse, but rather much more likely just the blood loss he’s occurred. One of Madara’s hand is applying pressure to the wound, trying to stem the flow of blood but he is not and has never been a medical nin.

It’s not like they really have time for whatever this is but he takes in Madara’s face.

It’s grief stricken, and a face he’s seen before in the wake of losing their brothers. Madara was known for his anger, explosive and as deadly as a wildfire, but few have known the depth of his grief or seen his eyes well up with tears before.

Izuna has always been one of the lucky ones although it’s not as if he enjoys seeing Madara upset.

That look tells him what’s about to happen before it does though, it’s the grief of three lost brothers and seeing a fourth soon to join their ranks and then steely resolution, the weighting of options because while Madara is hotheaded, it doesn’t mean he’s not a brilliant strategist either.

Izuna remembered how even the Senju had underestimated when clan leadership fell from their father to Madara, that they expect the Uchiha to be listless and uncoordinated under the new direction, and of someone who was not fit to lead. Senju had suffered a devastating loss that day, and Madara had yet to been fully grown at that point.

Madara is taking in the fact that Senju Hashirama is one of the most talented medical nin that they’re seen on top of everything else, and choosing him over Izuna.

He sees Senju Hashirama and sees life in his place, and looks at his brother, as if he only sees death.

“Brother, no, p-“ Izuna stopped himself from begging Madara, not in front of them, regardless of what’s going to happen because there is little that he can do. He can feel consciousness starting to fade away from him, everything is going white around the edges of his vision instead of the familiar abyss of black that is just awaiting him and his brother alike.

His hearing is last thing to go out which feels particularly cruel.

“Can you save him?” Izuna only knows that’s Madara’s voice because of his close it is, losing all sense of familiarity as his senses distort.

“Yes.” The distant tells him that is Senju Hashirama and Izuna seethes.

He much rather die than let that man lay his hands on him, but apparently his brother, his dearly beloved brother doesn’t care about what he wants anymore.

~

The only comfort Izuna can take is from then to now, he doesn’t remember anything else. He has the sense that a good chunk of time has passed him by, but there’s no memories of that man touching him at least though Izuna knows that’s what happened all the same.

He really wants a chance to wash him off, to scrub himself clean of Senju touch but even just by sitting up there’s a protest of pain on his side.

It’s only an ember of pain compared to what was blossoming there earlier on, but it’s enough that Izuna knows his movements right now will be strained. The Sharingan doesn’t come to his eyes either meaning while he’s in considerable better shape, his chakra probably hasn’t recovered from all the strain yet either.

Izuna’s sight is not as bad as Madara’s has gotten, Izuna knows his brother is hiding how bad it is from everyone, including him but the fact that Madara is a sensor nin gives him an another edge, another way to see with all that chakra he has.

It’s yet another reason he’s unhappy that he still lives because on his deathbed he would have offered up his eyes to Madara. A lasting part gift before he went from this world.

That should be enough, it would have been enough for him.

But no, Madara has to ruin his death, on top of everything too.

It’s odd being so angry at his brother. He’s had siblings before so he knows what it’s like to be annoyed or be caught up in sibling rivalry, but this doesn’t feel like anything as petty or normal as that.

It feels like a betrayal.

Izuna doesn’t even recognize where he’s at, so that probably means he’s on Senju land or perhaps some sort of makeshift neutral land if an alliance hasn’t already been settled while he was unconscious.

It seems unlikely he’s been unconscious long enough for something like that, but Izuna doesn’t truly know anymore.

His brother choosing a Senju over him? The world has been turned upside down, so what does he really know anymore?

Speaking of Madara, Izuna is both surprised and stunned that Madara isn’t around.

After all the effort he went to saving him, he can’t even be bothered to show up it seems.

Izuna wondered about the riverfront confrontation once more. How much of Madara’s insistence that Hashirama was stronger than him had been true? And how much was it simply Madara attempting to keep Hashirama out of harm’s way?

It was a mistake to say Senju Hashirama was not skilled. Izuna admitted that, what he did not admit is that the man was stronger than his brother.

Particularly with this now happening, had Madara been holding back the entire time when he should have been going after him with everything he had? If so, that made Madara such a hypocrite, he hated people holding back on him regardless of the reason.

How well did he actually know his brother after all?

Izuna wondered about that, he and Madara had always been close, even back when they had all their brothers, and afterwards it felt like nothing could pry them apart.

Of course, that too would have been the Senju’s clan fault.

Was there anything their rotten ruins didn’t reach?

“Izuna.” Madara’s voice is full of relief and wonder, seemingly out of place if Madara had trusted Hashirama so much to entrust his own brother to him.

Izuna rolled his eyes. “Were you talking to him?”

Madara looks like he’s been struck, the fact that Madara is surprised at all by how scathing his tone shows just how out of touch his brother is clearly.

“No, I just took a moment for myself. I’ve been here nearly the entire time.”

Before, Izuna would have trusted this without any hesitation, now, he has doubts and even if he had the Sharingan to act as a built in lie detector, he’s not sure if he would trust it being right. For the first time in his life.

He crossed his arms, a leftover gesture from when he was a child and he’d cross his arms and pout when he didn’t get his way. He learnt very early on that behaving like a brat was unbecoming of a shinobi so he only backslid into that behavior around few people.

Right now, he’s only showing Madara it not because he trusts him, but because he wants it evident and obvious how he’s feelings on all fronts.

He wonders if his chakra feels bitter.

Madara had noted there was some about of personality one could get from sensing. If emotions influence that and Madara is using sensing to see then how he feels right now should be disorientating Madara’s surroundings if he does really bad at all about what he did.

“Izuna-“ Madara tried.

“Why didn’t you listen to me?” There’s anger in his tone that Izuna hoped was enough to carry away the hurt he was still feeling. “You listened to a Senju, a SENJU over me your own brother? Maybe father was right after all.”

Izuna hated to think that his father did anything right, he wasn’t a very kind man and by all accounts a lot of that was probably because of how he’d grown up, but still even his father would have mourned him if he died.

“The very touch of that man corrupts!”

“I didn’t want you to die.” Madara spoke, softly, softer than he normally speaks given how readily Madara is to anger and raising his voice if necessary.

Madara does look exhausted, the creases under his eyes look more pronounced and his skin has an unhealthy pallor compared to it’s usual fair tone. Madara might not have been lying about being at his side after all, but that doesn’t change anything.

Anything at all.

Izuna gritted his teeth, tasting blood blooming in his mouth which only reminds him that he is still very much alive which is the crux of the problem. “Death would have been kinder than only living because of my enemies’ trickery and my brother’s betrayal!”

“Izu-“

Shrieking has always been more of Madara’s domain, suiting given his love for birds. Izuna has always been quieter in some ways, less prone to anger, but shrieking out his anger is cathartic.

Madara doesn’t look like he wants to leave just yet.

Izuna yelled abuse after abuse until his voice goes hoarse and his side started to protest from all of his screaming.

“I’ll… just go.” Madara spoke subdued. Very unlike himself. “For now.”

Izuna isn’t sure why Madara felt like he needed to remind him of that. This must be his curse to be this new life he wanted nothing to do with a brother he no longer knew and amongst enemy hands.

Izuna hates his life.

He is so much more familiar with death.

So much more.

~

“He hates me.”

Hashirama wants to say something, anything to the contrary but he’s overheard the screaming matches Madara has had with Izuna. They’re one-sided affairs, Izuna shouting mostly at Madara where there is nothing but muted silence on Madara’s end or occasional soft protests.

It’s not that Hashirama is trying to be voyeur but their temporary encampment is rather close together all things considered. There is some distance allotted between tents, but division of Senju vs Uchiha is less well defined with them being mixed in together, even sharing tents besides each other of those who are remaining.

Not all of them are here of course, just those in charge, and those who are those who are also have high positions of their own as trusted advisors or medical ninja. Hashirama has no qualms about Uchiha medical nin checking in on Izuna after all, there are so few medics in the Uchiha and there is much in the way of knowledge that he wants to pass on.

But they don’t have an alliance, not yet truly.

What they have is a tense ceasefire. The first of its kind, a bated breath of whether this turns back into the war that they know or the peace that they covet but are weary of.

Izuna Uchiha has been saved at his hands, Hashirama doesn’t regret that despite how angry Izuna is, even seemingly angrier than Madara has been all these years brewing with hatred from their age old conflict, he is still alive. Hashirama knows that Izuna wouldn’t have survived if he had been placed in Uchiha’s hands, he’s not being arrogant, he’s merely stating a fact, and he knows the healers very well because he’s seen who returns from a battle injured and who does not.

That tells him of what skills the Uchiha have when it comes to healing and it doesn’t measure up to his own. Then again, the only one who’s ever really manage to measure up to his skills was Madara.

Despite the war, despite the years that have passed he still feels the same affection and fondness that he felt for Madara back when they were kids. 

Right now Madara isn’t burning bright and dangerously like a wildfire about to mow through the battlefield meeting with delight and vengeance on the mind. It’s probably wrong that he was always found Madara compelling in those moments when it meant that it would be the death or injury of his fellow clan members but Madara has always been a sight to behold.

He’s seen Madara in all kinds of states before, but this is a new one.

It’s not how grief-stricken and outright lost he had look at the thought of losing his sole remaining brother that Hashirama could still clearly see in his head, it was such a haunted look that even if he had doubts about saving Izuna, they would have burnt in an instant under the weight of that look.

Not that he would have doubts about saving someone.

It was odd sometimes wrestling with the two opposing natures he had to heal and to harm. But he never let go of his belief that even as old of enemies that the Senju and Uchiha are that there could be peace.

Madara looked less haunted, more resigned than anything that he has to accept a fate of Izuna hating him for the rest of his life. Hashirama isn’t sure if he could weather that with Tobirama. They argue more than he’s ever seen Madara and Izuna argue, but he only has a piece of this picture.

He wants to do something, anything at all to make Madara not look so dejected and hopeless, like he’s seen on people who are debating the merits of giving up on their life.

Hashirama is so lost at taking in Madara’s face that he almost missed the fact that Madara was moving to leave. He grabbed Madara’s wrist, firmly but not so much so that Madara would think Hashirama had any violent intentions.

Madara, quiet for once, who usually always weathered his affections for a child and almost always shrugged him off as soon as possible allows the contact.

Only rarely, rarely allowing such gestures when they were younger without complaints.

There is some slight part of himself, no matter how inappropriate the timing is that enjoys the fact that Madara is allowing such contact when they had just been fighting days ago, the larger part of Hashirama is only further alarmed because this is highly irregular behavior for Madara.

Madara glanced at his wrist covered by the Senju’s hands that has intertwined with his life so much at this point. His touch doesn’t feel misplaced and that is a traitorous thought particularly now.

“He says the very touch of you corrupts.” Izuna had reminded him so much of their father at that moment with that one remark that Madara felt as if he was a child get scolded again for having to dare to have anything resembling fondness or as it were, friendliness towards a Senju. 

The he goes unspoken because it’s clear that Madara means Izuna, who else could have meant? Most of the other Uchihas at this point are wary of war and accepting of an alliance even with their oldest enemy.

“You don’t believe that.” If Madara truly had he wouldn’t have allowed his touch.

There is a praecipe between them here and now, either Madara continued to be of the belief there can be true peace between alone with the rest of his clan or he will default to his brother’s side, regardless of public opinion and be alone but together in their hatred.

He very much doesn’t want Madara to leave again, it had never destroyed him the first time when Madara decided to throw away their friendship, the act of such being traumatic enough to awaken the Sharingan meaning wasn’t lost on him.

“No.” Madara admitted even if seemed to pain him to do so. “If any between us has a touch that corrupts it’s me.”

There’s another look in Madara’s eyes for the second time today, still black and not the signature red he’s come to know for all these years now. It could be just Madara doesn’t want to make people think he’s about to attack, that he’s taking his duties as clan head seriously and leading by example but Hashirama can’t help but feel like there’s something more going on here.

The look reminds Hashirama of himself, of his quick to depressive episodes but on Madara it looks much more solemn and grim that a quirk he’s never quite been able to work himself out of even now as an adult.

“I already failed three of my younger brothers, and now the last one is lost to me.”

“He’s still alive.”

“And he hates me for saving him, for choosing you over him.” Madara gives him a pained smile, pulling his wrist away from Hashirama who doesn’t fight to hold onto it, even if his every instinct tells him to do just that. “I just… I couldn’t let him die.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you saving him.” Hashirama said carefully, knowing he has to pick his words very sagely right now. “It’s an adjustment. In time, in time,” Hashirama promised. “He’ll come around, I swear. It won’t always be that strained.”

“You always could promise people anything and they would want to believe it because you have so much power at your disposal, that you could just about anything.” Madara pointed out.

“Madara-“

“Don’t. Don’t lie to me because you can promise me peace, but you can’t promise me and Izuna will ever be on speaking terms. You saved him, but I still lost him, I should have known there was a catch asking you for help.”

Madara goes to leave and Hashirama immediately wants to go after him.

Tobirama stills him, anchors him to the ground with a bruising grip because anything else he would have shrugged off. “Don’t go to the trouble of saving that Uchiha, if you’re going to abandon his side to run after his older brother.”

Tobirama is right.

Izuna is up and awake, but he’s still in a delicate position right now. It’s careless of him to want to neglect his duty as a medical nin because he simply doesn’t want Madara to be alone right now

But Madara will hate him far, far more if he lets anything happen to Izuna.

“You’re right.” Hashirama agreed and calms him. “I’m sorry. I know things aren’t easy on you either and I act like this…”

“You’ve always been unreasonable when it comes to Madara.”

“We are attempting to have peace with the Uchiha, remember?”

“I haven’t forgotten.” Tobirama said. “Perhaps it will work.” Hashirama hears it in his voice that Tobirama is very much in the belief that this will not work out, that he is merely humoring him.

Hashirama doesn’t know how to feel about his brother’s lack of faith, but he can’t really blame him either. Both sides have suffered heavy losses over the years, and being tired of war is not alone enough to equal peace.

~

Tobirama disappeared from his side after a few minutes, apparently complacent that he’s not going to follow Madara. He’s not quite at the point of needing to go see Izuna yet, he’s not a sensor but he can tell that Izuna is still very much awake.

Hashirama goes to the Uchiha medics that doesn’t regard him with anything resembling suspicion and just silently goes to check on Izuna. Izuna will weather an Uchiha better now conscious and Hashirama can get a status update with Izuna trying to kill him and no doubt worsen his wounds again.

That should be the end of it, he should return to his own clan duties which he may not exactly been keeping the ball rolling on as he’s been consumed with Uchiha matters recently. However since it’s something he can reason is because of a peace he wants, and he knows he’s not alone in wanting to achieve Tobirama probably can’t chide him for an additional stop.

He’s seen the man around Madara more than once, knows the role he has is similar to advisor in some regards but maybe not quite the same things that Tobirama is to him but as his second in command and advisor.

Izuna had plenty of advisor duties himself, but Hashirama knows he hasn’t mistaken this man importance or else he wouldn’t be here.

Hashirama is certain that they’ve never spoken before, but there’s not much room for speaking on a battlefield aside from taunts.

“Hikaku.”

The man seemed surprised to be addressed but the only show of that is a raised eyebrow. The Uchiha stoicism is rather ingrained, Hashirama wondered how much of that was an act, merely an guise to make people think they didn’t feel anything at all.

“Is there something I can help with?”

“Have Izuna and Madara ever fought before?” Hashirama isn’t certain if he’s going to get a response, but in truth he’s asking about clan business that he doesn’t exactly have a right to but it’s clear even to the Uchiha how strained things are between them now.

Having them both on terms like that can’t be good for the clan, so maybe if Hashirama is luckily such details will be relayed to him for the benefit of clan.

“Not often. They are competitive but that’s never came out of a sense of dislike for one another.” Hikaku admitted after a contemplative silence. “It’s never been this serious before regardless of Izuna feels, his views are the minority amongst us.”

That actually hadn’t been his concern but Hashirama can’t blame the man for thinking so.

“It will be an adjustment. I recognize that change doesn’t happen overnight but it does seem rather senseless to keep killing each other when there’s another way.”

“I agree.” Hikaku nodded. “I know Madara agrees with you as well. He and Izuna have just rarely disagreed with each other before. That may be part of the problem. We will have our own discussions with the brothers. It won’t fall to you to broker the peace between them.”

“I don’t mind lending a hand.”

“As I have seen already.” Hikaku said. “Madara has never spoken of it, but he would not allow you close if he didn’t consider you a confidant of some sort.”

Apparently words of their former friendship hadn’t spread amongst the Uchiha clan that much, which was understandable. The same thing had happened on his end, he was told not to mention it, not speak of it because it could have them labelled traitors.

However as time went on, to the discerning eye there were those who had picked up on the fact that he and Madara shared some kind of history.

Apparently Hikaku was one of them as well. To hear it from an Uchiha rather than a Senju felt different, perhaps because Madara had been the one to act like their childhood together hadn’t meant anything at all.

That an Uchiha seeing it despite all that meant that Madara never had been able to forget him as much as he had claimed.

Hashirama had done nothing of the sort, but he knew what it was like to be unable to forget something.

Madara had never strayed that far from his mind, this entire time, some part of that was practical as Madara was as close to an equal as he could have, and could and would injury him on occasion that discussing him was part of a strategy in ensuring his clansmen survived.

Mostly the best way to do that was to make sure that no one else fought Madara, but all that fire Madara could call upon always made him tricky to be avoided completely.

As if Madara could ever wholly escape his attention.

“I hope with this peace, that we could rekindle our bond.”

“Hm.” Hikaku said, and Hashirama felt like he was missing something but then someone called him away and Hashirama really couldn’t add anything else that would take precedence over that. Now he had to return to his own clan duties, because if he didn’t remain clan head then he doubted how far for the peace his brother might fight for.

Tobirama had always understandably been more wary of the Uchiha than him, which admittedly had been an important viewpoint to consider. He only really knew Madara after all.

And there was a reason that they had been in war for so many years and not everyone would be comfortable with idea of peace.

On either side.

Unlike Izuna, Hashirama didn’t think Tobirama would oppose the idea of peace. Particularly when he’d been a child, and he had suggested the same thing as Hashirama was doing now.

~

Hashirama finally stopped slacking off in regards to his clan duties so Tobirama felt more at ease. Although, they couldn’t keep up this ceasefire forever, eventually, if it dragged on too long it would just fan the flames of war once again.

Tobirama wasn’t really convinced that this was the best path moving forward. He wasn’t really certain that Madara could be trusted, he was too much of a wildcard, and if anything Izuna was proving to be just the same with his recent actions which was odd.

Izuna had always been the more sensible once, but ever since his brother saved him, the Uchiha had been angry and wrathful much in the same way he came to associate Madara with. It did prove that they were brothers, as if there was any real doubt on that front but behavior puzzled him nonetheless, there had to be some sort of reason for it.

Hashirama didn’t seem to have a clue which meant if Madara had mentioned anything to him, either Hashirama was withholding the information from him, possible but not fun to think of the implications of that or more likely Madara simply hadn’t told Hashirama in the first place. Things hadn’t exactly slotted back into place as they’d been in their childhood, too much had happened since then, but embers of hopes had clearly been lit in Hashirama about peace, but also about winning his friend back.

Well, friend, probably wasn’t the right word.

Tobirama had tracked Hashirama more than once, and the way that Hashirama had acted even back then was much more in line with how someone acted around someone they were infatuated with rather than a friend.

How much Hashirama understood about those feelings was something Tobirama had never asked, never wanted to ask but with how things were going, it was clear that those feelings had never really gone away.

He didn’t know how to read Madara quite as well, but Madara clearly regarded Hashirama as special, and gave him permissions scant others had.

The implications of that as well was troubling to put it mildly but it would have to come later.

Everything now seemed to rest on Izuna. If Izuna kept fighting this then there was a fair chance Madara would just agree as to regain his brother’s affection rather than how he might have felt about it and then they’d be at war again. It wasn’t an option that Tobirama minded admittedly, he’d almost killed Izuna once, and he knew for a fact Hashirama was stronger than Madara, so if they took out the brothers, an alliance with Uchiha clan would be much more favorable.

If Madara didn’t bow out, then there would always be a friction between him and Izuna, something that would never quite heal and likely lead to a splintering between the Uchiha clan of those who followed Madara oddly enough for peace, and Izuna for war.

Splintering the clan would weaken them, and it would still leave Madara in charge, but if he held onto to his commitment for peace for good, then it would be fine.

Tobirama just doubted if the man could do just that.

As of right now, even though it was a careless course of action, it was still one that he weighted the pros and cons against before deciding to do it.

He’d seen how Izuna reacted to his presence and see what he could gauge from a conversation and adapt a strategy to whatever he learnt.

~

Izuna is pretty certain there has to be some irony in this, a poetic irony of sorts.

He would laugh, but he has the feeling that’s going to be interpreted the wrong way with how he’s being watched at that moment.

Of all people, he never expected Tobirama to be the one he tolerated most. The man nearly killed him, and clearly this is confusing him as well with how those red eyes take in the situation, assessing and calculating as always.

Izuna has to admit from a purely aesthetic point of view, Tobirama had always been attractive. A lot of it has to do with the red, Uchihas are likely hardwire to have an affinity for the color red with the Sharingan as ever present as it is.

Tobirama’s eyes are red and those markings on his face are red, and pair that with bone white hair, that man is quite striking.

Izuna’s never quite felt guilty about looking because they’re shinobi, the most lasting relationships if not family are enemies after all. It’s one thing to look, it’s another altogether to want to act on said urges. Izuna isn’t tempted, he’s been touched enough by Senju hands, thank you very much.

“It’s odd that you’d tolerate me.”

“I understand you, at least.” Izuna said without meaning to. He likely shouldn’t have let that slip but as of right now, Tobirama is one thing he actually understands.

He doesn’t understand his brother anymore. He doesn’t understand how Hashirama speaks of peace as if it is something that can be instead of something that can never be, he doesn’t understand why so many of his fellow clansmen are already to accept this peace at face value because they’re wary of fighting more.

Tobirama is easy to understand. He struck him down because that’s what enemies do.

It’s hard to feel really all that upset at him, when Izuna would have done the exact same thing in his place.

Tobirama blinked, taking that in clearly with a note of surprise.

Izuna chuckled, he couldn’t remember the last time he felt anything resembling joy. “Senju Tobirama surprised by something? I thought nothing could surprise you.”

“I never claimed such a falsehood.”

Probably true, but Izuna knew Tobirama like the psychological warfare front. He was willingly to consider many strategies which had made him such an enduring threat all these years on, nothing quite as heated as what happened between Hashirama and Madara but still.

“So why are you here? Just to sate your curiosity?”

“Did you really want to die that badly?” Tobirama said casually, as if he’s not talking about a taboo in their world when those who were meant to endure, simply didn’t, and gave up the fight. “Is that why you’ve been so angry that you were saved?”

“If you’re asking if I jumped in front of your blade, you should know the answer to that.”

The jutsu alone had been something else, even if that had been the case, Izuna doubted he could have had much control over what had happened in the first place.

“That still doesn’t answer my question.”

“Are you actually deserving of such an answer, though?” It’s giving off the wrong impression, Izuna is sure, but it’s not quite like he wants to be misunderstood or show his heart in front of a Senju of all people. He’s not like Madara.

The Sharingan bleeds through but it’s only for a moment, as his body is still protesting such a thing.

Tobirama’s sigh only further annoys him. “Are all Uchihas this reckless? You want Hashirama to stop having to hover you around? Then get better, not worse.”

“Don’t tell me what to do, Senju.”

Tobirama stared at him blankly. “You are definitely Madara’s little brother.”

There’s a conflicting response on his tongue both telling Tobirama not to mention his brother, and to tell him to fuck off because if anyone is insulting Madara, it’s going to be him. Instead, Izuna chose silence because that was the safer bet.

“The majority of our people are seeking this alliance.” Tobirama offered. “To be against it is going to put you at odds with the rest of them, I believe it’s better to offer constructive criticism on how best to reach an alliance at this point.”

“I don’t really recall asking for your opinion.”

“I don’t recall needing your permission to speak my mind.” Tobirama added on, a thread of tension rising between them at that however it didn’t last long as Tobirama shortly dismissed himself after the fact.

Izuna rolled his eyes when he was finally gone.

Who did Tobirama think he was exactly? He wasn’t an idiot. He hadn’t just been resting while he was here. He’d been gathering his information even while still being laid up with an injury and having to deal with Madara and how unsuccessful those conversations were proving to be.

The Uchiha medic who had tended to him had told him enough about what was going on in the world outside of this tent maybe things he suspected. Much of the clan sought an alliance and only saw the death to the clan if they continued to fight which boiled Izuna’s blood but it was like admitting that the Senju were better than them, that they would wipe them out.

If they took out Hashirama, that would dealt a heavy, heavy blow to the Senju but that was not a man that would die easily. Izuna had not voiced such a thought aloud, it wasn’t safe to do something like that here, and he had sense after all.

Beyond that, they spoke of how listless and Madara had been since. As if Izuna hadn’t been able to see that for him when Madara visited.

He continued to look worse, and Izuna doubted he was sleeping much as it was. If things carried on and no one forced him to take care of himself, Madara would probably require needing medical attention too.

If that was the case, Izuna would asked they’d be in different areas, the thought of sharing a tent with Madara now wasn’t one he cared to think of.

Peace seemed to be what everyone wanted, but were the Senju really as well to compromise on their end or would it only be the Uchiha forced to concede again and again? Izuna gritted his teeth, he was angry but angrier still at everyone else for wanting this and there being nothing he could really do about it but play along.

There had to be those in their clan that disagreed with the clan, something he could flame into a spark that would alight their war once more.

If there wasn’t, then well, Izuna would make one.

~

Hikaku is not a medical nin, however it is not as if he doesn’t have a right to be here.

Izuna wasn’t looking forward to what actually would be said, he’s still in not the best mood after suffering through Tobirama’s visit earlier. It’s strange to think he might actually enjoy a conversation more with a Senju of all people rather than someone of his clan.

And yet, that is exactly what comes to pass.

“Are you certain this is the influence you want to be on the clan?” Hikaku asked, his tone is free of judgement as if not outright blaming him and even understanding why he is like that but yet it is not acceptance either. “On Madara?”

Izuna doesn’t need that reminder. He knows the weight he carries with Madara, or he used to at least. He knew there was a good chance that Madara ends up defaulting to his side regardless of everything but Hikaku is probably more concerned with what one, or even two of the strongest members of the Uchiha refusing the alliance or defecting from the clan would mean for the rest of them.

He’s not wrong to consider that point of view.

Izuna himself is worried, he doesn’t really want to leave the clan alone, particularly if they’ll be in the hands of the Senju. But he cannot believe that this is the best path forward, nonetheless.

“And peace is? How do you know we won’t be subjugated? Is a life of servitude better than death?”

“How are so certain that there isn’t any hope for peace, at all?” Hikaku countered. “You both are very important to the clan, to lose even one of you would hurt us severely. I suggest you think clearly about what is you mean to do and the effects it will have on others.”

“I am thinking clearly.” Izuna bites back.

“Are you?” Hikaku is likely the only one who’s been brave enough to say it to his face though there has likely been whispers behind his back. The Uchiha nins have said nothing, only tended to his wounds and told him of the world beyond this tent.

Madara certainly hadn’t said anything, too afraid to say much around him when he rather just tolerated whatever abuse Izuna hurled at him instead, it seemed.

Tobirama had implied as much, but had not been so forthright.

“I will take my leave. Your brother is likely punishing himself again and I have to make sure he hasn’t collapsed yet.”

Izuna rolled his eyes. It wasn’t as if Madara ever took the best care of himself even before they started fighting however Hikaku’s words do linger even after the man has excused himself. He doesn’t really want Madara to suffer.

He doesn’t want anyone to hurt Madara while he’s in this state because of him of all people and get hurt if Izuna is not there watching his back.

Things would be so much easier, if only they were on the same page as they had been before.

~

“You look…” Hashirama doesn’t want to say bad, even if he only means in regards to Madara looking ill, he sees how that’s not the best way to phrase his thought and bits his tongue. There is a very noticeable pause but eventually he finished his train of thought. “Exhausted.”

“I’m the exhausted one when it took you so long to finish your thought?” Madara asked, raising an eyebrow incredulously. Then again, Tobirama might not be entirely off base that sometimes Madara is difficult to deal with.

Denial seems second nature to him.

As a medical nin, the practice appalls Hashirama, but Madara is far from the only shinobi who does such things.

“Well, I’m not the one who keeps kneading chakra.”

“That’s because for once in your life, you’re actually not the best at something. I know this must be disappointing and unusual for you.”

Well, that was more humor that Madara had showed him recently even if it was at his expense. Hashirama doubted that Madara was over it, but with the initial shock out of the way, it likely didn’t sting as much so it was easier to converse.

Madara was also as well probably testing if Hashirama still had those depressive tendencies as a child to distract him away which meant whatever he was asking, was something he needed to be asking.

If it was Madara, he could overcome that tendency to want to become depressed easily.

“Why are you doing that?” Hashirama asked, as free of judgement as he could manage hoping that would give him an answer.

“Your brother is doing the same thing.”

“Is this out of some misplaced competition?” Hashirama didn’t think that was likely, but then again Madara’s behavior had been odd recently but that wouldn’t explain why he hadn’t seen the Sharingan even once.

Tobirama had remarked on that, stating that even Izuna had flash it at him but Madara hadn’t.

Hashirama was very much getting the same feeling he did when someone was holding necessary medical information from him out of pride, or at the thought it would needlessly bother him, when they didn’t really have the background to make that call themselves.

“Have you just completely forgot who I’ve been fighting all these years? Your sense of fashion improved but it seems everything else didn’t.”

“No, I-“ Hashirama paused. “Wait, you think my fashion sense is better?”

Madara had been rather merciless about that when they’d been younger, the insults had stuck with him but it wasn’t like he could grow his hair out that quickly or that he could be too picky about what clothes he wore.

“Only slightly. Don’t look so happy.”

“But you did say it.” Hashirama couldn’t help his grin no matter how misplaced. He couldn’t help but latch onto that news like a sapling flower clung onto any and all sunlight it could reach.

“I will never admit that under pain of death.” Madara stated as if it was a solemn matter.

“I’m never forgetting this.”

“How I wish you would.” Madara turned his head. “Didn’t you have a point about calling me over because it’s not like we have an alliance that we can just go back to how things were when we children.”

“You want that, too.” Hashirama said surely. Madara wouldn’t be acting like this around him if he was truly against the peace, regardless of how Izuna felt on the matter. “You can’t deny that.”

“Don’t tell me what I can do, Senju.”

Hashirama hadn’t missed that part of the last couple of years being referred only by his last name, another way Madara had tried to distance their past together. Even though they had only called each other’s given name under shinobi law.

“Right… has Izuna come around any?”

“He’s not yelling as much but that doesn’t mean he’s suddenly pro peace.” Madara sighed. “I’m surprised he tolerated Tobirama of all people, I would have expected him to garner a worse response than you.”

“I didn’t see that coming either.” That had surprised Hashirama as well, but it seemed as if Tobirama’s conversation with Izuna while brief had at least been forthcoming. It didn’t seem like Izuna was seeking death and thus so infatuated with the idea with wanting to die.

It still felt like he was missing something. “What about you?”

“You know that most of my clan wants this peace.” Madara’s eyes met him in a knowing glance. “If I stand against that, they’re going to be rather unlikely to follow me but it’s not like Izuna and I have ever really disagreed like this before. If I say yes, that’s just another betrayal in his eyes, so it becomes a question of my brother or my clan.”

Hashirama wouldn’t want to have to make that decision either, he understood how heavily that must be weighting down on Madara but he didn’t want to make it about himself, or offer what he might do in a situation like that.

So instead he expressed his sympathy.

“I’m sorry you have to make this decision.”

“Your apologies don’t do anything so don’t.” Madara sighed again, he felt another migraine coming on top of everything else. “I’m still and will always be grateful that you saved him. I’m happy he’s still alive even if he wants nothing to do with me, I just never thought there was anything that could come between us.”

Hashirama felt immeasurably guilty that he had come between the Uchiha brothers like this. That had been so far removed from his intentions, and not even something he had considered might happen.

He wondered if Tobirama would have foreseen this as a possibility, or if he was equally as blindsided by this development. Judging by Tobirama’s response to Izuna’s behavior such far, it looked like even his brother didn’t see this coming.

The Uchiha didn’t seem to either.

“I know, I’m sorry, I never meant for my presence to cause such a thing.”

“It’s not like Izuna was ever your biggest fan to begin with.” Madara shrugged, much more than Hashirama knew but it wasn’t like he was going to get into the specifics of that currently. Hashirama likely felt bad enough and while it was tempting to goad him into that.

He was just tired. He was already still fighting with his brother.

For once, the idea of fighting Hashirama didn’t appeal to him.

“I hope that can change in the future. I have many good qualities.” Hashirama assured.

“I know.”

“…you’re strangely indulgent in me today.” Which while was nice, continued to raise red flags. Hashirama took a step closer unconsciously, surprised and not when Madara allowed it. “Are you getting enough to eat and to sleep? You’re not using up too much chakra either, right?”

“You worry too much.” Madara rolled his eyes.

“I usually have pretty good instincts and right now, something tells me there’s something you’re not telling me that’s related to your health which concerns me greatly.” Words could probably not express his worry throughout, so he didn’t try but to force as much emotion into his words as possible to help convey that. “I can help. We don’t have to talk about it, if that’s what it will take for you to get treatment.”

“Do you not trust me to take care of myself?”

“You’re going through a lot right now. It’s natural that makes it harder to care for one’s self. You can rely on me. That’s also point of an alliance isn’t it? Mutual aid?”

“Mutual aid doesn’t usually require such close contact.” Madara pointed out.

“In regards to medical matters, it usually does.”

Madara rolled his eyes. He felt like he did that so much in Hashirama’s company. “Just like when you were kids, you have problems keeping your hands off me. It’s strange to think we were just fighting.”

“A good strange, hopefully?”

“Alliance fails or succeeds, you’ll still be fighting with me. Only difference is how seriously I try to kill you or you do with me. Dying by your hands isn’t a fate, I mind.”

Madara almost looked fond, which horrified Hashirama on a visceral level.

“I… why does that make you happy?”

“If it’s you, it’s fine. That’s probably how this was always going to end, one of us killing the other. What we had as kids was…” Madara didn’t know how to describe so he decided to be vague about it rather than try and encompass how much it had meant to him. “nice but I don’t think it was ever going to last.”

“It can still work. You don’t have to give up on our dream.”

“That dream was founded on the belief I’d be able to protect my brother which I have seemingly failed though he still lives. The only thing that might fix things is saying no.”

“How much more death will that invite? How many children will die because of the result of the decision or if they do survive, how many will lose family along the way?” Hashirama had refrained thus far from asking things like this, he hadn’t wanted to bring it up, he wanted to sway the conversation otherwise but perhaps this is what it took.

Madara gritted his teeth, and Hashirama prepared for the familiar red of the Sharingan but it didn’t appear.

Why didn’t it appear? He had said far less insulting things and Madara flashed them in the past.

“It’s because I’ve lost so many of them that I want to keep the one I still have next to me. It’s not like I asked to be clan leader, if they want peace so badly, they can just remove us from the clan.”

“Where would you go? What would you do?”

“It wouldn’t really be any of your concern then, would it?” Madara said, pushing past him and out of the tent.

It was tempting to go after him, but likely it would mean Madara was going off elsewhere to clear his head again likely by destroying yet another patch of forest with a flaming fireball. Another night and Izuna should be fine for him to start chasing after Madara.

If Madara didn’t leave by then, that was.

~

“You smell like you’ve been burning stuff again.” At this point, Izuna was rather itching to go, to see something other than just the inside of this tent meaning he would in fact indulge his brother in something other than heated conversation for once. “Hashirama piss you off?”

The idea of that in particular made him happy.

“He’s… very detached from reality.”

“Really? It isn’t as if I didn’t warn you not to listen to him.” Izuna said sarcastically, at least Madara was starting to come around.

“You still think he’s tricking me but what’s his endgame? What do you think he’s planning?”

Izuna blanked on that, he hadn’t expected Madara to be so straightforward. “Isn’t it obvious? He’s using your childhood fondness for him against you to make you think you can trust him over your own brother? When have you ever taken anyone’s word before mine before?”

“…I haven’t.”

“So why him? Why did you hesitate in the first place when he spoke to you?” Izuna asked carefully, truly wondering what was going on in Madara’s head and perhaps if he didn’t yell out his requests, he’s get more of a response this way.

“We had a dream in which no children would have to die needlessly, that no one would have to deal with their family being cut down in something that will actually never amount to anything in the end, there was even a place we found for it.” Madara explained, a faraway look in his eyes, as he imagined if that Cliffside was still standing or if took had been destroyed in the last couple of years.

“A valley with so many trees and we’ve look out from the cliff side and just imagine what could be and what we would give for such a thing to happen.”

“You told him about us?”

“We didn’t exchange last names but each of us had dead brothers, we shared that with each other on the river where we fought. I’m sure you remember that place, at least.”

“I remember. Thought I might die that day.” Izuna admitted, it hadn’t been hard to piece together what happened after the fact with the kunais flying over his and Tobirama’s head only to be blocked by rocks.

“I was never going to let that happen. You seem to forget, I did turn my back on Hashirama once.”

“You didn’t really want to, did you?” Izuna questioned although he already knew the answer.

“It’s not a bad dream he has, but the world is a much darker place that he seems to think it is.” Madara admitted, as a child he hadn’t doubts but as an adult, they had grown and multiplied as he saw more of the world and wondered how much peace was truly possible.

Perhaps peace was just temporary and if that was true, then was it worth it if it couldn’t be kept?

Was there truly no way to have an eternal peace?

“I don’t think his dream can exist in reality. Maybe it is aptly named because it can only exist when someone is unconscious.” Izuna reasoned. “He has a way with words, that is why I worry about you with him.”

“Do you have to phrase it like that?” Madara groaned, annoyed. “It make it sound like-“

Madara didn’t finish his thought, but he did flush.

Izuna chuckled despite himself, he’d never not found amusement when Madara ended up embarrassing himself, Izuna felt proud of himself for managing to indirectly cause it.

“Are you laughing?” Madara blinked. “I didn’t think I would hear that again.”

“Don’t get too used to it now. You still know my thoughts on this alliance.”

“Yeah, I do. We can just leave the clan because almost everyone else wants peace. They’re not going to stand with me if I disagree.”

“They’re just being deceived. We can bring them back over to our side.”

“Izuna, I don’t think they’re changing their minds.” He could fight this, Madara knew he could, but he didn’t have the feeling that would end well in the least. Even if it was an option. “To be honest, I don’t want to see anymore children die, Uchiha or otherwise.”

Hashirama’s words had gotten inside his head whether he wanted them there or not.

“We can protect them.”

“We tried that with our own brothers. We still lost them.”

“We’re much stronger than we were as children. We unlocked the secrets of the Sharingan more than anyone else ever has!”

“And you know, the cost for that.” Madara’s voice raised, regardless of the fact he had been trying very hard to not get angry, and not let his temper rise around Izuna. But they both were suffering under the effects of what that had cost.

Madara knew personally too what it was going to cost Izuna which lead him with another layer of grief for teaching it to him to begin with.

“If you had just listened to me in the first place, you wouldn’t be having those problems still!”

Madara blinked slowly in realization and dawning horror. “No, you couldn’t have been-“

“If I was going to die anyways, what use did I have for my eyes? Mine aren’t as bad as yours.”

“I would have never wanted your eyes in place of your life! How could you think that? Of course I would want you at my side. Do you know why I asked Hashirama to save you though you didn’t want him to? I couldn’t deal with the thought of you dying, of all my brothers dead and it being my fault and being left on my own. I couldn’t deal with my last little brother dying and you hate me for that decision.”

“…I don’t hate you. I don’t think I can hate you.” Izuna sighed, feeling drained. “You’ve never chosen anyone over me before, and you ruined my plan, and now you want to go along with Hashirama’s plan? Do I not have a right to be angry and upset over all that?”

“You do, but I still don’t know what you want me to do.” Madara admitted, sounding lost.

“I don’t want this alliance, but you’re probably right about how if we don’t let this happen, we’re just letting more children die when we have the power to prevent that. I keep thinking of little Kagami’s face, I keep seeing all the ways I’ve seen children die and imagining him if I’m not seeing our brothers.”

Izuna wasn’t sure why he focused on Kagami solely likely because he was at that age where it was time to become a shinobi compared to the other children who were too young or already fighting amongst their ranks.

Maybe he had a fondness for that one child in particular, but he couldn’t be blamed. Kagami was a really cute kid.

“We can just leave the clan. We don’t have to be a part of it anymore. We can let someone else deal with it.”

“There’s no one better suited to lead the Uchiha clan than you. I’ll…” It was much harder to say aloud than he thought it would be but eventually, the word came out, barely audible. “Stay.”

The bed shifts with additional weight on it as Madara wraps his arms around him.

Izuna allowed the contact, he had missed his brother after all. They were never overly affectionate in public, but in private if they were together, they gave each other steadying affections for comfort or express things without words.

So not having touched this entire time since he brush with death was a lot for them.

Madara’s presence is reassuring, it’s a sign that they’re still brothers regardless of everything and despite the fact they don’t quite agree on this, it doesn’t mean that their relationship has to be thrown out entirely.

It doesn’t take long before Madara started leaning on him heavier and heavier until it was clear that Madara fell asleep against him. Izuna gives a light chuckle, as the younger brother he should be one doing that but Madara does indeed look exhausted.

He adjusts them until they’re both comfortably resting on it, though it probably a little small for two people.

When they were younger, they did things like this too, particularly after their younger brothers had die. Each of them had needed the reassurance that the other wasn’t yet gone.

If he’s being honest, Izuna isn’t quite happy with this situation but Madara seeks peace, and he doesn’t believe it’s only because that Hashirama is suggesting it either. There’s certainly something between them, and Izuna isn’t really sure if he approves.

But then again, it’s like he has to agree to leave Madara in Hashirama’s care.

He has to earn that right, if he will ever measure up in Izuna’s eyes.

It’s a shame that Madara didn’t tell him or not whether Hashirama knows about their eyes, if he’s anywhere near as observant as Tobirama he’ll figure it out. Or Tobirama will figure it out first and squeal on Hashirama.

Izuna rolled his eyes, he knows he’ll have to deal with many Senjus in the future and that in itself is an annoyance, but he is going to stay at his brother’s side regardless.


End file.
